


Dearly Love a Wolf

by nahco3



Series: wolf verse [1]
Category: Tennis RPF
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-08-29
Updated: 2011-08-29
Packaged: 2017-10-23 05:35:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,643
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/246799
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nahco3/pseuds/nahco3
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Andy was raised by wolves. Novak gets lost in the forest.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Dearly Love a Wolf

**Author's Note:**

> wolves are omnivores, and love berries. I fudged with pack structure a little bit here - typically, a pack in the wild is just a nuclear family without a clear alpha male but guys, this is a fic about ANDY MURRAY BEING RAISED BY WOLVES. you do not really care about the biological accuracy. also can we just assume Andy learned to speak English when he was a kid and never forgot? cool.
> 
> the title is from the poem "Little Red Cap" by Carol Ann Duffy.
> 
> originally posted to my lj.

Andy's lived with the pack almost as long as he can remember. It was a cold winter, when the pack found him. Three of the pack's cubs had died that winter, and their mother grieved. The pack leader had found Andy lost, huddled under a bush, smelling of fear and loneliness, and had brought him back to replace what winter had taken.

Andy loves the pack fiercely and entirely. He loves to run with them, pine needles soft under his feet. He loves to sing beside them in the dark of the night, and play with the new cubs, and sleep with them in their den, warm and secure. But, the truth is, Andy never feels he is part of the pack. He is alongside them, with them, but he is always, always the adopted cub. He knows he will never belong to them.

And sometimes, even in the soft dark of summer, his pack beside him and around him, his mother warm at his back, he feels alone, the way no wolf ever should.

\--

Novak is totally fucked. He's standing on top of some sort of hill/small mountain, surveying the land. He sees: trees, trees, more trees, rocky outcropping things, more trees. He does not see: people, towns, a house, a road, anything useful.

It had seemed like such a good idea at the time, taking a helicopter ride to appreciate the natural beauty of the area and also to get the fuck away from the truly crazy amount of press scrutiny he was under. He'd grabbed a backpack, forgotten his cell phone and hopped on board. He hadn't even said goodbye to his parents. Now, one freak storm later, he's lost in the fucking uncharted wilderness and probably presumed dead. He wonders for a horrible second how his family must feel, but he suppresses that thought ruthlessly. He sits down on a rock and digs through his backpack, finds a PowerBar.

He takes a bite, morosely. Chocolate. He supposes it could be worse, it could be cookies and cream.

"How long does it take to die of exposure?" he asks the PowerBar.

"A few weeks," a coarse voice calls. Novak looks down, wondering if he's already progressed to hallucinations. Then he looks up. At the edge of the clearing, there's a man, tall and pale, with wavy hair and wild, intense eyes. He's naked except for a tattered pair of shorts. "Unless you'd rather get eaten by wolves."

"What the fuck," Novak says, softly, to himself.

\--

Novak is standing in the middle of the pack, visibly trying not to panic.

"The pack can smell fear, you know," Andy tells him, helpfully. Novak gives Andy a black look.

"Did not need to know that!" he says, his voice tense.

"Don't worry, we don't bite," Andy says. Novak makes a choked-off noise.

He likes that idea, Andy’s sister-cousin tells him. She licks her nose delicately. Maybe you should bite him.

What? Andy blinks, poleaxed. He thinks about biting Novak, lightly, just above the artery in his neck. He gulps.

You smell just like he does now, she says, lying down at his feet and scratching her head with feigned innocence. I’m glad you found him, I’ve been telling you forever you need a mate.

Andy can’t even think of a response for that. He looks up at Novak, who is now on his knees, wrestling with the year-old cubs. It makes his chest go a little tight.

\--

Novak is sitting next to Andy, sharing his last PowerBar. Andy had brought him back berries, since Novak isn’t desperate enough yet to eat raw meat. The rest of the pack is lying around, their bellies full. One of them, Andy says she’s his sister-cousin, whatever that means, is lying at Novak’s feet, where he can rub her belly.

Andy’s leaning on Novak’s shoulder, and it’s putting his arm to sleep a little bit, so he reaches up and wraps that arm around Andy, pulling him closer. The evening is getting cool anyway, and Novak isn’t too proud to cuddle. Andy settles himself in against Novak, pressing his nose into Novak’s chest and making a small, satisfied noise. The sister-cousin wolf makes a little series of yips, and Andy blushes and barks back at her.

“What did she say?” Novak asks.

Andy blushes darker. “Nothing.” He’s terrible at lying, probably since wolves don’t really seem to have much use for it. Novak shakes his head. The whole situation is so fucking weird it’s starting to seem normal. He wonders how he’s going to explain this if he gets rescued. When he gets rescued, he corrects himself. When.

Suddenly, the mood of the whole clearing changes. Andy tenses next to Novak, and a couple of the wolves stand up, like they’re at attention. A second or two later, Novak sees why - a big wolf lollops into the clearing, one Novak’s pretty sure he’s never seen before. It fixes Novak with a long look, and gives a quiet growl, showing its teeth. What big teeth you have, Novak thinks, nonsensically.

Andy’s up and between Novak and the giant wolf before Novak can really process it. He’s making little whining noises; they sound pleading, deferential. The sister-cousin wolf goes and stands next to him, her ears pressed all the way back. Another, older female (maybe Andy’s wolf-mom? Novak can’t remember) joins them too. The rest of the pack sits back and watches.

The big wolf steps past them and walks up to Novak. His body is screaming to run away, but he can guess that if he runs, he’ll get caught. And probably eaten. The wolf sniffs Novak, and snarls at him, then bends down and grabs the PowerBar out of Novak’s hands. He swallows it in one bite, then turns away, padding over to the other corner of the clearing.

“He says you can stay,” Andy says, his voice shaking a little.

“Cool,” Noval says. “Thanks. It would probably suck to get eaten. Not that I don’t like you guys, so I guess if someone had to eat me, it should be you.”

Andy lets out a nervous laugh. “It. We had to tell him you were my mate. So, um. If he finds out we were lying he’ll probably kill all of us.”

The sister-cousin wolf pushes her head against Novak’s knee. Novak rubs her ears absent-mindedly.

“You’re saying.” Novak’s brain kind of shuts down. The boss wolf turns back to give Novak a death glare, and Andy grabs Novak’s hand and pulls him upright.

“We need to mate,” Andy says, sniffing Novak’s neck. Novak swallows.

“Can we. Is there a woodcutter’s cabin or a cave or something? Not that I don’t love your family but. Some privacy would be nice.”

Andy looks up at him like he has no idea what he’s talking about. “Privacy?”

“Voyeurism, not really my kink.” Novak tugs on Andy’s hand. “So can we go somewhere? Anywhere.”

Andy nuzzles Novak. It is very distracting. “If you want.”

They make it about forty feet from the clearing. The sun’s set all the way now, but some moonlight filters in through the trees. Andy doesn’t take his eyes off Novak, it’s disconcerting and really hot. Maybe this is how Little Red Riding Hood felt, Novak thinks, stupidly, and gulps. Finally, Novak gives up and just pushes Andy up against a tree, kisses him.

It goes pretty fast. Novak’s been on edge ever since he first saw Andy - fucking asshole walking around practically naked and smelling Novak all the time - and getting his hands on Andy while Andy paws (haha, it’s funny ‘cause he thinks he’s a wolf) at him gets Novak hard embarrassingly fast.

Andy bites at his neck, making little moaning sounds, unable to figure out how to undo Novak’s belt. Novak regretfully moves a hand from groping Andy’s ass and undoes his own belt, pushes his pants down as fast as he can.

“There, ok, Andy, jesus,” he mutters, nonsensically. Andy gives off a high pitched whine so Novak kisses him and stuffs his hand down Andy’s stupid, stupid shorts.

It’s insanely good.

\--

They sleep curled up together that night, Novak warm and solid at Andy’s back. Andy stays awake for as long as he can, trying to remember this, thinking mine mine mine mine on permanent loop, the most un-wolflike thought he has ever had.

\--

Novak has some tennis balls in his bag. He wonders if wolves like to play fetch.

"Do wolves like to play fetch?"

"Fetch?" Andy asks. He's sitting on a rock sunning himself. Novak is trying not to stare at his abs. It's very unfair that he doesn't wear clothing.

"Like. Someone throws a ball, they go and get it and bring it back? Dogs like to do it."

"Dogs." Andy pauses and thinks for a second. "We like dogs. To eat."

"What?" Novak's brain freezes. He's made out with somebody who eats dogs? What the fuck. No. "You're kidding?"

"Yes, I'm kidding." Andy says, with a broad and slightly toothy grin. "They don't have enough meat on them." The look he gives Novak is just hungry enough to be a little terrifying. Novak can't remember the last time he's been this turned on.

\--

Novak goes to swim in the stream, and Andy sits on the bank, watching him. Novak is big, muscular, but Andy can’t help but see how vulnerable he is.

Andy’s pack leader pads out of the woods and sits down next to Andy. Novak tenses in the water, but keeps swimming, feigning unconcern.

He does not belong here, the leader says.

Fear explodes in Andy’s chest. You said. Last night. He’s my mate.

The pack leader twitches his nose. I will not go back on my word, pack-mate. But he is not pack. Without his own kind, he will grow weak. He will die.

But I’m his kind, Andy says, standing up, suddenly angry. He has me.

The pack leader gives him a dismissive sniff. If he weakens, we will not care for him. He gives a warning growl. Neither will you.

Andy knows better than to argue. May I take him back to his own kind?

The pack leader stands to leave. If you can find his pack, he should be returned to them. He calls back over his shoulder, if they will take you, you may join them. You are a mated pair.

Novak gets out of the stream and sits down next to him. There are marks on his neck, marks the shape of Andy’s mouth.

“What did he say?” Novak asks. “You look like hell. I’m not about to get eaten, am I? Because I should warn you, I probably taste terrible.”

Andy looks down at the forest floor. “Do you miss your pack?”

Novak pauses for a second. “Yeah. Yeah, I do.”

Andy pushes himself into Novak’s arms, so that Novak’s chin rests on the top of his head. “He says that you don’t belong here. That. You’ll weaken without your pack.”

“Hey, I’ve got you to take care of me, right?” Novak asks, his tone artificially light. “Bring me raw squirrel breakfast in bed?”

“No,” Andy says, hating himself. “If you. If you’re too weak to care for yourself, the pack will abandon you.”

“Oh,” Novak says. “So I guess I should get on this whole ‘finding my pack’ deal.”

“I’ll help you,” Andy says. “Don’t worry.”

\--

They start out the next day. Andy says goodbye to the wolves one at a time, carefully and deliberately. Novak gives them a wave as they leave the clearing, which he doesn’t think they really understand. He gives the sister-cousin one of his tennis balls, since she likes them.

Novak thinks he’s in pretty good shape, but when it comes to long distance running, Andy can kick his ass. They have to stop every half hour or so, to let Novak catch his breath. Around noon, Andy finds them some berries and roots, and they sit in silence, eating them.

“Where are we going?” Novak asks.

“If you run for two days that way,” Andy points. “you can find a small pack like you. Well, two days if I’m running. It’ll probably take you four or five.”

“Hey,” Novak interrupts, “just because you’re freakishly fast...”

“Anyway,” Andy continues, ignoring him, “there’s a pack there, of three men. Every spring they come and put little tags on the cubs.”

“Rangers?” Novak asks. Andy eats some more berries, giving no sign he understands. “How come they’ve never found you?”

“The pack hides me,” Andy says, “so I won’t get taken away.”

“Oh.” Novak says. “So, I guess when we get there I’ll just pretend I was lost and you can go back to the pack?” He tries to keep his voice light.This is not the kind of thing that was ever going to last. This isn't fucking Tarzan, he tells himself. It's the real world and this is probably for the best. Novak's having a hard time believing that, though. His chest hurts and he reaches out for Andy despite himself.

Andy looks up at him, stricken. “You’re my mate. I’m going to your pack with you. Unless you already have a mate. Or. Unless your pack doesn’t want me.”

“I don’t have a mate. Other than you,” Novak says, squeezing his shoulder. “What kind of guy do you take me for?” Andy smiles at him and Novak wonders how the fuck he is going to tell his family and the press that he got gay wolf married while he was lost in the wilderness.

\--

They reach their destination at night, on their third day away from the pack. There’s a small house, next to a road, lit up brightly against the darkness. Andy’s never been there before, but it’s unmistakable. They stop just at the edge of the light, Novak panting quietly behind Andy.

“You’d be a terrible hunter,” Andy tells him. “The deer could hear you for miles.”

“One, I don’t eat deer,” Novaks says, in between breaths, “and two, I would be an excellent hunter, a way better hunter than you, if I had been training at it obsessively since I was six.” He laughs to himself. “My god, you’re going to love tennis, you crazy freak.”

Andy makes a face. “I am not a crazy freak. And who’s Tennis?”

Novak starts laughing, loud. They’re going to be heard, Andy knows. He kisses Novak, fiercely, to shut up him.

After a minute, Novak pulls back, breathing hard again, but Andy is too, this time. “Let’s go,” Novak says, unevenly, “get rescued.” He grabs Andy’s hand and pulls him toward the house. Andy wants to pull back, run into the woods, find his pack, but he can’t make himself let go of Novak’s hand. He follows.

\--

It’s a massive relief when they get to Paris and Novak is finally able to lock the hotel room door behind his (well-meaning, incredibly loud, very loving and hugely annoying) family. Andy stares at him, a little dazed.

Novak’s been keeping a list in his head, Things Andy Hates and it now includes airplanes, subways, shoes, naturalists who ask too many questions, large crowds, having to be polite and French people. The trip to Paris had been massively unpleasant, especially since Andy didn’t so much metaphorically as actually raise his hackles when he was angry. He also sometimes growled, which weirded most people out, but turned Novak on more than was probably healthy.

Novak rubs his head. He’s getting a headache. “How are you holding up?” he asks Andy.

“Fine,” Andy says, which is obviously false. Novak thinks about calling him on it, but then Andy asks, “can we have sex now?” and Andy might not be able to lie for shit, but he understands misdirection like a pro.

“Absolutely,” Novak says.


End file.
